High KH

[hnguyen]

Anyone know how to lower the KH? My KH has been high for the past 3 weeks and I've stop all dosing to my tank but still haven't seen my KH go down. Anyone got any Ideas? I have a 120 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump. I just did a water change a few days ago and still nothing.

 

[mikesommers]

Hnguyen;558796 wrote: Anyone know how to lower the KH? My KH has been high for the past 3 weeks and I've stop all dosing to my tank but still haven't seen my KH go down. Anyone got any Ideas? I have a 120 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump. I just did a water change a few days ago and still nothing.

How high is high? I would continue water changes if its real high (13dkh or more). If you are seeing no ill affects I would not go off chasing numbers all over the place. This will just cause more problems. As I said though the best fix is water changes. Step up the amount by 5 or 10 gallons and do a couple a week. It will fix itself.

 

[hnguyen]

according to my test kit. The ideal range should be between 105 - 125. But I'm coming up with 160 - 180

 

[mikesommers]

Hnguyen;558813 wrote: according to my test kit. The ideal range should be between 105 - 125. But I'm coming up with 160 - 180

I am not sure what test kit you are using. The results that I am familiar with would be in one of to measurements meq/L or dkh

Example: 9 dkh is the same as 3.21 meq/L and at that level your ballanced calcium would be 425.

 

[rbredding]

? my test kit measures "number of drops to change from this color to that color"

 

[mikesommers]

Rbredding;558828 wrote: ? my test kit measures "number of drops to change from this color to that color"

So does mine. There is a value that those drops stand for when the color shifts. I am using a seachem kit at the moment and 1 ml of reagent = 1 meq/L. So 3 ml to change from blue to yellow is 3 meq/l.

 

[rbredding]

gotcha... I never looked at the supplemental chart because my KH was always in the acceptable range for my livestock..

 

[hnguyen]

I use the Nutrafin KH/GH test kit. According to the booklet that came with the test kit. A reading from 105 - 125 mg/L is ideal range for saltwater conditions. The test kit comes with a bottle of KH and GH. The directions say to fill my test tube with 5ml of sample water and than add a drop of KH reagent at a time until the color changes from blue to yellow. than multiply the number of drops by 10 to get my results. I have to end up adding from 16-18 drops of reagent until it turns yellow, which is ranging from 160-180 mg/L.

 

[mikesommers]

Hnguyen;558935 wrote: I use the Nutrafin KH/GH test kit. According to the booklet that came with the test kit. A reading from 105 - 125 mg/L is ideal range for saltwater conditions. The test kit comes with a bottle of KH and GH. The directions say to fill my test tube with 5ml of sample water and than add a drop of KH reagent at a time until the color changes from blue to yellow. than multiply the number of drops by 10 to get my results. I have to end up adding from 16-18 drops of reagent until it turns yellow, which is ranging from 160-180 mg/L.

Ok now we are getting somewhere. You are fine. Do nothing. You are within range. Here is a conversion chart so you can read the test. I would recommend purchasing a set of Salifert kits.

9.0 dkh = 3.21 meq/L = 160.7 mg/L
http://ozreef.org/library/tables/alkalinity_conversion.html">Conversion Chart</a>

1 mg/L = 1 ppm
[IMG]http://www.bestfish.com/convert.html">Look under Concentration</a>

happy reefing sir!:up:

 

[mikesommers]

105 to 125 is crazy low!!!! I would shoot for 150 to 160 if anything. Its easier not to chase numbers. Besides the fact that corals get very upset when you mess with this stuff to much. Better to be stable then up and down!

WOW you right on my example!:yay:

 

[hnguyen]

At first I thought 160 mg/L was idea as well, but when I get another test kit after I ran out of the same kind. I looked at the booklet and the results went down. I called the company to ask by the results are different and they told me that the formula has changed and when used as directed, 105-125 is what I should turn up with as an ideal result.

 

[mikesommers]

Hnguyen;558944 wrote: At first I thought 160 mg/L was idea as well, but when I get another test kit after I ran out of the same kind. I looked at the booklet and the results went down. I called the company to ask by the results are different and they told me that the formula has changed and when used as directed, 105-125 is what I should turn up with as an ideal result.

I gave you the charts you may do as you wish. I take Randy Holmes-Farley's advice over ANYONE else. This is simple math. Unless Nutrafin has change the way we read Alk. At best you going to cause more PH swings with an Alk. level of 6 dkh, 2.14 meq/L, 105 mg/L how ever you would like to say it. I will tell you that I have spent the better part of an hour helping you out. No big deal I enjoy it. They ARE WRONG if the measurement is what you say it is.

 

[mikesommers]

All you need to do is look at the charts I found for you from this thread!

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=479186">http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=479186</a>

Thats very good information. I do believe there are many others that have learned a lot from Randy.:D
:thumbs:

 

[hnguyen]

ya know I'd like to believe that they are wrong too because everything in my tank right now looks really healthy and happy. But after all they are the people that made the thing so I think they know what their talking about. As I stated above, I called them and asked them why the mg/L as changed and they told me it was because the formula has changed resulting in a lower mg/L reading for idea KH testing. I appreciate your help and all but unless your one of the guys that formulated the thing are invented it, than your wrong for saying that THEY are wrong.

 

[mikesommers]

Alkalinity Conversion
Conversion table between the three alkalinity units; dKH, meq/l and ppm CaCO3. Highlighted is the recommended area to maintain it for reef aquarium.

dKH meq/l ppm CaCO3
0 0 0
0.5 0.18 8.9
1.0 0.36 17.9
1.5 0.54 26.8
2.0 0.71 35.7
2.5 0.89 44.6
3.0 1.07 53.6
3.5 1.25 62.5
4.0 1.43 71.4
4.5 1.61 80.4
5.0 1.79 89.3
5.5 1.96 98.2
6.0 2.14 107.1
6.5 2.32 116.1
<span style="color: Red">7.0 2.50 125.0
7.5 2.68 133.9
8.0 2.86 142.9
8.5 3.04 151.8
9.0 3.21 160.7
9.5 3.39 169.6
10.0 3.57 178.6
10.5 3.75 187.5
11.0 3.93 196.4
11.5 4.11 205.4
12.0 4.29 214.3</span>
12.5 4.46 223.3
13.0 4.64 232.1
13.5 4.82 241.1
14.0 5.00 250.0
14.5 5.18 258.9
15.0 5.36 267.9
15.5 5.54 276.8
16.0 5.71 285.7
16.5 5.89 294.6
17.0 6.07 303.6
17.5 6.25 312.5
18.0 6.43 321.4
18.5 6.61 330.4
19.0 6.79 339.3
19.5 6.96 348.2
20.0 7.14 357.1
20.5 7.32 366.1
21.0 7.50 375.0
21.5 7.68 383.9
22.0 7.86 392.9
22.5 8.04 401.8
23.0 8.21 410.7
23.5 8.39 419.6
24.0 8.57 428.6
24.5 8.75 437.5
25.0 8.93 446.4

Am I missing something here? Dose anyone else run outside these parameters?

 

[mikesommers]

Hnguyen;558947 wrote: ya know I'd like to believe that they are wrong too <span style="color: Red">because everything in my tank right now looks really healthy and happy</span>. But after all they are the people that made the thing so I think they know what their talking about. As I stated above, I called them and asked them why the mg/L as changed and they told me it was because the formula has changed resulting in a lower mg/L reading for idea KH testing. I appreciate your help and all but unless your one of the guys that formulated the thing are invented it, than your wrong for saying that THEY are wrong.

Good enough. They go by a different mg/L! Thats fine. Remember what you just posted though! Why are we talking about this?

 

[mikesommers]

So you had your answer all along:thumbs: Someone else may tell you how to lower it. I dont know. That is the level my salt mixes at.

 

[mikesommers]

Just one question did you read the thread I posted from Reef Central? The guy was going through this same issue. I will post it again just incase you missed it.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=479186">http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=479186</a>

Most of all, why would you ask to argue?

 

[hnguyen]

Ok. I'm going to stick with the chart you guys gave me and say that an alk. of 9 dkH is ideal. I just hooked up my cal. reactor and within the past week my alk. has gone up to about 10-11 dkH. Is this going to be ok? should I do something to help lower it or should I just leave it. My calcium seems to be holding pretty well. as for my co2 I'm counting about 15 bubbles per min.